The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-25
TIE ABLE ARGUMENT OF DIR. Il
X. SHOOT, OF TEXAS,
Against the Union OF the Churches
North and sOuth There Are
no Political Differences,
BUT NO HARMONY in THE IN.
TERPRETATI0N
or Oar Common Standards - The
Church Is Not Southern, but
Different.

constituted ss q Bethel church had
right of representation Ia the presby-
terry, and that al elder in one church
could not at the same time be an elder
OF another chuIcn.
The Comm ttee on Theological
Semiharies submitted report cover
irg he affairs OF several seminaries,
also the institute for training colored
ministers. The number Of students
in the latter was ftty-hve, aud it WAS
the belief that the money used 10 tie
training and educating OF colored
PREACHERS was we'll hestc wsd. Colum.
bis Seminary has baen closed tor q
year past, but it had bsen decided to
reopen it mex. September. TIL 8
seminary has an endowment OF 5 l80,-
600, and its future was believed TO be
very bright.
The Com nittee on Publication re-
ported that the dsot OF S85, 900 had
bsen paid of or provided for, and that
" now has assets over liabilities of
$64 900. In v ew of this promising
fact it was ordered that colportsgs be
started in presbyteries where it does
not now exit.
The Judicial Committee made sup
plt IN antal report in the casa Of the
Rev. Robinson, Of North Carolina, an
appeal from the Synod OF that State
recommending that the case be tried,
and the Revs. W. II. Davis and 2. III.
Htge were named to represent the sp-
peliee.
The Committee on Bills and Over
lures reported on overtures from the
Harmony and South Carolina presby.
teries, touching the acts Of the last ss.
tembly on evolution and the power oil
the General Assembly over theological
80 minaries and their instructors. The
answer WAS that the assembly DIT cline
to formulate any detailed explanation
OF the acts Of the last assembly, as any
such statement, however expressed,
could only be regarded as new de-
liverance on the same subject which
this assembly does not feel called upon
to make"
This was an answer formulated by q
majority OF the committee. A minority
also presented a report which dealt
primarily with the Jurisdiction Of diff
ferent church courts and the manner
| in which matters can bs brought be
fore the General Assembly. II Gays
Respect ng the further que stion OF thu
South Carolina presbyIery touching
the mode oil creation as defined BY
the lest assembly, we recommend thi
asse mbly to answer that the Scri pture
clearly reveal that in the highes
sense God is the creator OF al
things, and onscquently Of Adam
body and soul, aud both tn,
scriptures OF our confession o
faith teach that his body was formed
# tho Gu t of the grouud," whethe
mediate or immediate, but the an
ecrutab' mode" God hath not e veal
ed, and this assembly holds that it
not given to the church to pronounc
definitely ss to the mode by whicl
and the time in which the Create
choee to work.
The report was docl eted for futur
consideration.
At 1880 O'Clock am. the organi
union or cooperation Of the two grsa
churches came up for consideration
The Rav. w. II. Park, the author Q
the minimum minority report, after
slight modification Of the minorit
report. signed that report and WITT
drew his own.
Rev. W. X. Coppidge, Of Montgom
cry Va, offered substitute for tn
minority rtNort recommending hal
mony, but not union or corporation
DR.. r. X. Smoot, If Texas, charm a
of the special committee and repre-
sentative OF the minority side of th
question, then took the floor an
made long speech against union {
cooperation. He attacked the mi
iority report first as to lis claims tn,
) the majority of the presbyteries owe
turing the assembly were in favor {
, closer relations. He said there is not
unanimous sentiment in any one of tt
three synods-MissOuri, Arkansas an
Alabams-referred to by the msjorit
. ia favor OF organic union. The pr
sumption was that the silence OF til
majority Of the preebyteries place
them in opposition to unto
There is not demand
the church for the opening
the question. The church was n
to follow In the wake Of any polite
or business movement in this countr
"They say the war ia over, politician
q North and South are fixing up the
a difficulties. But where ia the conn 2
4 tion2 This is not war church. Th
a is not a secession church. We no
n that any man, no matter whether
a was born in Maine or Texas, can
a taken into tue fellowship of o.
Q church. II we were united with Il
!, Northern church every time We m
r there would be argument and disse
a sion and alienation. Oars is not
q Southern church, but a church tn
a differs from the Presbyterian churt
n of the United States in the inteTpl
l. tation Of our common standards. T.
!. O.. uroh and State are not uniied.
o ia said that we fellows are peetifero
e old agitators because We will not UNI
% with the Northern church, now I'll
4. political difficulties are settled. It
:. said that the war is over. Well, y
- have read of ear hquakes, which,
A. ter they uhNO poooouI Lave 1911 uchul
a in the plains and the granite moU
taips? The fssure in the plain can
filled up, but it will remain in
mountains, which represents princip
'. "a long as the mountain stands.
70 mean no discourtesy to any gent
"a man, but almost ali those preach,
M who have gone back to
M Northern Church were the most raj
as during tho war. 1t took two men
" hold them sometimes when the Nor
" ern church was spoken (. The gu
re men stayed the longest, and only W,
ly out when they had to; they have 1
g. gone back. When the General
q sembly met in Columbus, Miss,
d. 1874 or 1875 there was so much &
3. about reuniting that our commit
A said to the committee OF the Noriht
an Assembly that il they would say Il
a. the political deliversnces that cauS
tire split were formulated in tin
cf great excitement, the commit
would recommend consolidation,
IN Northern committee would not say d
a. and there the matter rested. But G
nd established fratenal relations in Is
.te Yes, and the Northern Assem-
Il